Cat Whisperer
by imzadi1701D
Summary: Will Riker is cat sitting for Data, and he finds himself talking to Spot about his feelings about the growing relationship between Deanna and Worf... just a bit of Imzadi fluff.. I suck at summaries, so please just read and review!


Okay, so I was watching a Valentine's Day episode of "Friends", and Joey was lamenting his feelings about Rachel to a dog. It immediatly made me want Will Riker to do the same, talking to Spot! Just a very very VERY short bit of Imzadi fluff. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: *sigh* I do NOT own Star Trek or any of the fanominal characters. I wish!

Commander William T. Riker sat on the floor of his quarters, holding a string of yarn, on the other end of which was Spot, Data's cat. Data was away at a cybernetics .conference on Nervala 4, and Riker had drawn the short straw for cat-sitting. Literally. He had found that he had grown a liking for the feline, and had found himself talking to the animal. Revealing things that he might not have said to a sentient being.

"She's really great, Spot. I know you've met her before, but you haven't been fortunate enough to know her as I do," he smiled, and he dangled the string higher, causing the oblivious cat to jump after it.

"Around twelve years ago, before we came to the Enterprise, we met on her home planet, Betazed. It's a beautiful place, Spot. I'll admit, she didn't like me too much at first, but she got used to me, I guess. She allowed herself to open up, and when she did, I guess she fell in love with me just as much as I had her the moment we met," he paused to stroke Spot's head, " but things are different now. Serving on the same ship... she's made it clear that she doesn't want to complicate things by continuing the relationship while on board. Disappointing, at least." He sighed, tossing the string. As he watched the cat become tangled in the purple yarn, it contrasting nicely with his orange fur, he mused over the recent developments between Deanna and Worf.

"How would you feel, Spot, if your mate ran off and started hanging around with some other cat?" The playful animal just rolled on, attacking the string as if it were fighting back. Riker laughed. At his feline friend's antics, but mostly at himself. He was talking about his problems to a cat. He just smiled and shook his head. He stood, picked up the cat, and sat on the edge of his bed, the now weary animal laying in his lap, purring. "Well I sure know how it feels. I know that the idea of owning another person was abolished centuries ago, but I still feel... possessive over her. I don't want her to share her love... I only want her to share it with me. Selfish, I know. I can't help it, Spot. Understand what I mean?" The cat was fast asleep. "Well, as long as she's happy, that's all that matters." The tired commander sighed, and gently moved the cat off of his lap, and stood, subconsciously running his hand through his soft hair. He caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. On the outside, he looked like the clean-cut officer he had worked so hard to be. On the inside, he was a man with a broken heart. He changed out of his uniform top and into his favorite blue shirt. His Imzadi had given it to him the first summer they had spent together. He decided to head to Ten Forward; he needed distraction.

When he reached the doors to the lounge, he could see her through the small window, sitting at what used to be _their_ usual table. And what's more, she was alone; just sitting there, staring into space.

There was an untouched, half melted chocolate sundae before her. Now he knew something was seriously wrong. He abandoned his quest for distraction, for the one he was trying to forget needed her Imzadi, and he would never turn away from her when she needed him.

He took a deep breath and entered. He waved to Lieutenant Gomez and Guinan, but then started to her table. When he was only a few steps behind Troi, she caught his gaze in the glass of the window, but did not look away. But she didn't smile, either. He moved to the seat opposite her, and she just kept staring at the stars. Her small hands were in front of her on the table, and it was killing RIker not to take them in his own.

He leaned in, and said softly, "You okay?"

She didn't look at him still, but said, "It's over."

He couldn't help but feel a little relief, but then he felt a sudden rush of anger towards Worf, and Deanna felt it.

"No, Will. It was my decision." He was a little shocked. She seemed so happy when she was with him.

"What happened, Imzadi?"

She closed her eyes and shook her head at the word, "No, Will... don't... I can't hear that right now..."

"Deanna, I'm sorry... I wasn't thinking...," he paused, looking away from her, " do you want to talk about it?"

" He loves me, Will, and I thought I loved him. I did. But I realized that I wasn't being fair to him."

"In what way?" He asked, looking into her eyes.

She tore her eyes away from, not able to look at him.

"I wasn't being fair because inside, I knew, that my heart couldn't truely love anyone but you, Imzadi."

Will's heart froze for a moment. He felt a wave of love wash over him from Deanna, but it was soon replaced with a feeling of guilt. His undying love for her had ended up causing her pain.

"Deanna... I'm so sorry.." But she cut him off.

"You're apologising? _Apologising?_.." She couldn't help but smile. She closed her eyes and shook her head at him. He was taken aback by her apparent amusement. He opened his mouth to speak, but she beat him to it.

"And don't you DARE appologise for appologising!" She began to laugh again. Will felt slightly foolish, but he was happy that he had brightened her mood ten fold.

"I... I mean...," Will had nothing to say but the one thing she made him want to say, " I love you." He knew she would need time, but at least now he knew that he had a chance.

"I love you too, Will." His hand sprung for her's on the table like a tiger released from a cage. A cage that had barely allowed him to roar. She grasped his much larger hand within her own, looking into those unbelievably blue eyes that could make her melt at a glance. Looking back, she felt bad about leading Worf on so long. From their first kiss she had known that things would never be as good as they were with Will. If she had never known that William T. Riker, she sincerely believed that she would have been happy with Worf. She thought about all those people out there who were never fortunate to come into contact with that one other person in the universe that was the better part of themselves, the other half they never knew was missing. She felt very grateful for the man sitting across from her at that moment. So she showed it. She leaned over, and kissed him, full on the lips. Will was stunned sensless, but content. He placed a hand on her cheek, and deepened the kiss. She did not resist him, like she had tried so hard to do for so many years. They both had had their passionate moments in the past, and _those _had never really led to anything more than friendship, so why did she still hope? Because she had to. As long as they were Imzadi, they had a chance.

Will's heart was flying. After months of worry and heartache, he knew that she still loved him!

Worf walked into Ten Forward as Will had around ten minutes before; trying not to think about Deanna. But then he saw them, and he knew that his plan was futile. There she was, at a table in the corner, kissing the man that had caused her to leave him. He felt a sudden rush of anger. If Deanna and the Commander were Klingons, and they were aboard a Klingon vessel, he would have killed the Commander where he sat. But that couldn't happen. He also knew that it wasn't his fault. Their 'bond' was to strong. Neither of them could help it. It was out of Worf's hands. He had to accept that.

Will noticed Worf when their lips parted for the first time in a good 45 seconds. Their eyes met for only a moment. Worf nodded, then turned on his heel and walked out the door. Will smiled, glad that Worf wasn't mad. Will knew that things still might be a little awkward on the brige, but he didn't mind. As long as he wasn't out to kill him, he would be fine. They would all be fine.

Boy, would he have a story to tell Spot when he got back. And hopefully, Deanna would be there to help him tell the tale.


End file.
